Kuwait
State of KuwaitDawlat al Kuwayt
nominal constitutional monarchyIndependence 19 June 1961 (from UK)
Kuwait as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and | Saudi Arabia
18 fieldsLand useshare of 17,820 sq km
Natural hazards
- sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April, they bring inordinate amounts of rain which can damage roads and houses;
- sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August
Environment-current issues
- limited natural fresh water resources;
- some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water;
- air and water pollution;
- desertification
Environment-international agreements
- party to:
- Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
- signed, but not ratified:
- Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 32% (male 338,933; female 279,087)
- 15-64 years:
- 66% (male 811,713; female 444,679)
- 65 years and over:
- 2% (male 23,642; female 15,231) (July 1998 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.21 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.82 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.55 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Government
Nominal constitutional monarchy; Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977); Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978)
21 fieldsLegislature, 50 seats, elected 7 October 1996one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- State of Kuwait
- conventional short form:
- Kuwait
- local long form:
- Dawlat al Kuwayt
- local short form:
- Al Kuwayt
Administrative divisions
5 governorates (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli
Legal system
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21 note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 31 December 1977)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister and Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdallah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 8 February 1978);
- First Deputy Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir Al Sabah (since 17 October 1992);
- Second Deputy Prime Minister SALIM al-Sabah al-Salim Al Sabah (since 7 October 1996)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir
- elections:
- none;
- the amir is a hereditary monarch of the MUBARAK line of the ruling Sabah family;
- prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the amir
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 7 October 1996 (next to be held NA October 2000)
- election results:
- percent of vote-NA;
- seats-independents 50;
- note-all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly
Political pressure groups and leaders
several political groups act as; de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim Al SABAH
- chancery:
- 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 966-0702
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador James LAROCCO
- embassy:
- Bneid al-Gar (opposite the Kuwait International Hotel), Kuwait City
- mailing address:
- P.O. Box 77, SAFAT, 13001 SAFAT, Kuwait; Unit 69000, APO AE 09880-9000
- telephone:
- [965] 539-5307 or 539-5308
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side
Economy
Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy with | proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels-10% of world | reserves.
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1996)
Economy-overview
Kuwait is a small and relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 94 billion barrels-10% of world reserves. Kuwait has rebuilt its war-ravaged petroleum sector; its crude oil production averaged 2 million barrels per day in 1996. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 90% of export revenues, and 75% of government income.
Kuwait lacks water and has practically no arable land, thus preventing development of agriculture. With the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Because of its high per capita income, Kuwait provides its citizens with extensive health, educational, and retirement benefits.
The bulk of the work force is non-Kuwaiti, living at a considerably lower level. Per capita military expenditures are among the highest in the world. The economy improved moderately in 1994-97, with the growth in industry and finance. The World Bank has urged Kuwait to push ahead with privatization, including in the oil industry, but the government will move slowly on opening the petroleum sector.
Labor force
- total:
- 1.1 million (1996 est.)
- by occupation:
- government and social services 50%, services 40%, industry and agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
note: 68% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Industries
petroleum, petrochemicals, desalination, food processing, construction materials, salt, construction
Exports
- total value:
- $14.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities:
- oil and refined products, fertilizers
- partners:
- Japan 29%, US 16%, Netherlands 13%, Singapore 12% (1996 est.)
Imports
- total value:
- $7.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities :
- food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing
- partners:
- US 31%, UK 14%, Japan 13%, Germany 8%, Italy 7% (1996 est.)
Exchange rates
Kuwaiti dinars (KD) per US$1-0.3055 (January 1998), 0.3033 (1997), 0.2994 (1996), 0.2984 (1995), 0.2976 (1994), 0.3017 (1993)
Telephone system
the civil network suffered some damage as a result of the Gulf war, but most of the telephone exchanges were left intact and, by the end of 1994, domestic and international telecommunications had been restored to normal operation; the quality of service is excellent
- domestic:
- new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers;
- trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open wire and fiber-optic cable;
- a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait and the country is well supplied with pay telephones
- international:
- coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia;
- satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Arabsat
Transportation
9 fieldsMerchant marine, 42 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1997 est.)
Networkskm
Ports and harbors
Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Ministry of | Interior Forces, Coast Guard
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes-international
- in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993);
- this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands;
- ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands disputed by Saudi Arabia KYRGYZSTAN
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kuwait.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kuwait/1998.